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W. E. M. JACKSON. GONDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 586,602. Patented July 20, 1897.

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W. E. M. JACKSON. GONDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 586,602. Patented July 20, 1897.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. M. JACKSON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CON D U lT ELECTRlC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,602, dated July 20, 1897.

Application filed October 6, 1894. Serial No. 525,000. (No model.)

of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conduit Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention specially relates to improvements in the insulators for the conductors and also in the trolley, and is in the main an improvement upon the apparatus described in my former application for Letters Patent,

filed October 25, 1893, Serial No. 489,141.

The object of my present invention is to render more practicable for purposes of inspection and repairs the insulating apparatus described in my former application and also to produce in combination therewith a trolley of improved form.

It will be understood by comparing the drawings that the general form of the insulator in the present invention is similar to that illustrated in my former application, Serial No. 489,141, the cup, cup-cover, and spiralsupport being retained as the most essential parts thereof; but a method is now shown whereby the parts can be readily disengaged from each other, thus permitting the contents of the cup to be examined and cleaned or any renewals or repairs to any of the parts easily made. It being desirable in connection with this form of insulator that the trolley shall ride on a plane uniformly parallel with the rails and also that a return ground-wire be used in an underground system, I have devised an apparatus to serve these ends.

Referring to the drawings attached hereto and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the insulator and the line-trolley. Fig. 2 is a view of the outside bottom surface of the containing-cu p. Fig. 3 is a view of inside bottom of the containing-cup. Fig. 4 is a view of the parts of the insulator after disengagement, showing the cup with spiral dropped down. Fig. 5 is an exterior side view of the insulator and the line and ground trolleys. Fig. 6 is a side view of the line-trolley with the side of the casing removed. Fig. 7 is an exterior end view of the line-trolley. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the ground-trolley.

' I will first describe the modified insulatingsupport. A stem g, which may be either a tube or a solid rod, is attached by means of the footing h rigidly to the bottom of the chamber-casing 7c. The cup a is made with a projecting tube d, extending upward from the bottom. This tube projection, which is open at top and bottom, fits over the stem g, so as to permit the cup to slide up and down thereon, but securing it against any lateral motion. A catch-bar l, which is best seen in Figs. 2 and 5, is formed with a loop at one end fitting over the stem g, While at the other end it is bent, preferably in the form of a catch-hook. The exterior bottom of the cup has a recess m, which serves the double purpose of forming a petticoat on the foot of the cup and a place for the free end of the catchbar to hold. If when the cup is in the position shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 5 it is raised slightly, the catch-bar Z, the free end of which is lodged in the recess m and therefore supports the cup, Will drop, and the cup thus released will also drop and assume the position shown in Fig. 4. The insulating-spiral e is attached to the interior bottom of the cup and to the ring at by suitable fasteners, represented by ffff'. (Best shown in Fig. 3.)

The cup-cover b has attached to it rigidly the block 0, the outside of which fits into the ring at. The fitting edges are beveled, as shown, so as to more readily come together. The auxiliary insulator c, which supports the trolley-wiret by means of the stem 2', screwed into 0, is screwed on the piece 1), which is rigidly attached to the cup-cover. The attachment shown comprehends the making of p as a bolt, passing through Z7 and o, with a flat head screwed to 0. It can now be seen that the whole apparatus is supported by the catchbar I and that the weight and tension of the trolley-wire, continually exerting a down pressure, will give no chance for the-hooked end to become disengaged from the recess m until intentionally released by raising the cup. The bar will then drop and the cup fall, carrying with it the insulating-spiral e and the ring it and leaving the cup-cover and its attachments o, c, and i suspended by the trolley-wire t, as shown in Fig. a.

For the sake of simplicity it is presupposed time the that the trolley-wire t has retained its normal position,which is shown as that assumed when the trolley has passed and the spiral is released. As a matter of fact, it willdrop somewhat on account of one support being taken away, leaving some slack, butit with the cover can easily be raised and manipulated by twisting or bending to one side, so as to expose the contents of the cup. For the same reason the spiral e is shown in Fig. 4 as depressed as it would be by hand when desired to have the cover clear it. Fig. at thus represents the cover and the cup, with the spiral, separated and so held by the operator as to readily clear each other. If oil is used in the cup, it can then be renewed, and also any repairs or renewals can be made of parts of the apparatus. If it is found necessary, the cupcover can be unscrewed from the auxiliary insulator c and removed. The auxiliary insulator can also be unscrewed from the stem 2'. After the cover or the cover and auxiliary insulator are thus removed the trolley-wire can be pushed to one side and the cup with its contents lifted off the stem g. From this it will be observed that within a very short parts of the apparatus can be separated and any one of them examined or' replaced. On a working road speed in such work would be a great desideratum and the most practical method would probably be for the repairman to carry with him one or more complete insulating-supports, and when one in use was found to be faulty to slip in a new one in its place, or such part as necessary, carrying the old one back for cleaning or repairs. The cup a, with the interior tube 01, and the cover I), with the block 0 and ring a, would preferably be made of some strong insulating material, such as cast rubber or some compound thereof; The cup and cover could,

however, be made of metal covered with an insulating compound an d.well protected against contact with other metal parts. The tube cl, with the stem 9, and the blocko, with its collar u, need not necessarily be round, but will probably fit together more easily when made as shown. The catch-bar Z is only one of many simple devices which can be adopted to accomplish the same purpose.

I have considered it unnecessary to describe in detail the principle of the prolonged insulating-support. and its protecting-cup and cover, the containing-chamber, and manner of hanging the trolley-wire, as these matters have been fully covered in my former application, Serial No. 489,141. 1

I will now describe the trolley, which is shown in vertical section in Fig. 1, as side View in Fig. 5, as side view with lateral cover removed in Fig. 6, and as end view in Fig. 7. It being desirable, when the trolley-wire is supported on the insulators shown, that it should hang somewhat lower between supports, so that the trolley will depress the spiral when passing over an insulator, and thus immerse more of the coils beneath the oil-level j, a form of trolleyis required which shall ride on a uniform plane. In accomplishing this end I have also provided for another desideratum in an electric railway,a return ground wire and its connection with the ear apparatus. This return ground-wire may be either insulated or connected to the ironwork of the conduit and rails. I have preferred the latter method.

Describing first the line-trollcy,1 is the trolley-wheel, with axle 2, rigidly attached thereto, fitting into bearing-pieces which are attached to the frame-piece 5, as best shown in Fig. 6. The axle ends project beyond the bearing-pieces, and pressing on these ends are the spring-contact pieces 3. The trolley- Wheel is grooved in the usual way. To the top of the frame-piece 5 is attached the conducting-piece 8, which takes a bend upward under the slot, passing through it and connecting on the car with the usual motor and switchingapparatus. (Notshowir) Conductor 8 is a wide band of stiff metal and is protected by insulating-plates 6 and 7, one on each side, which continue to the trolley and form the sidesof a cover or protection-hood therefor. Attached to 6 and 7, where they form the lateral covers for the trolley, are the insulating end plates 9 and 10, which complete an insulating-box open at the bottom, but otherwise inclosing the trolley on all sides. The current from the trolley-wire 75 will pass to the trolley-wheel and through the axle, the bearing-pieces, and frame-piece to the conducting-band. The spring-pieces 3 are to insure a better electrical connection from the wheel to the other parts. As a guide for the trolley-wire I have shown in Fig. 7 an end piece 9 as extending below the sides, with a groove cut in the bottom wider than the groove of the trolley-wheel. This groove should be shod with metal, as shown at 11. Both end pieces 9 and 10 are alike. It is desirable to have the sides or edges, as well as the faces, of the conducting-piece 8 covered with insulating material. The ground-trol ley is similar to the other as far as the Wheel and its bearings are concerned, but it is manifestly unnecessary to have it insulated. Oon-' sequently no cover-pieces are used. It will ride preferably before the line-trolley. The

conducting-piece 12 is similar to 8, but extends straight down through the slot and forms one of the sides of the frame holding the wheel 15. The other side and ends of the frame can be formed from one piece 13, fastened to 12, and the bearing-pieces fastened to 13 and 12. This construction is best shown in Fig. 8. No connecting-springs are shown, but these may be added, as also some kind of shield or protection to keep the dust out of the bearings.

The two trolleys are fastened together by the bar 13, the bolts or screws used passing through holes lined with insulating material IIO and an insulating-piece intervening between such as to prevent electrical connection between the two trolleys. Another bar may be similarly used on the opposite side.

It is desirable where the insulating-plates of the line-trolley pass through the slot to have some metal protection to prevent wear of the insulating material. This is shown at 14. The metal may be attached to the bar 13 or separately fastened around or to the plates 6 and 7.

The ground-wire 10 is secured to one of the slot-irons u in any convenient manner. I have shown an attachment 17 for this purpose which can extend the whole length of' the wire, but would preferably be cut off at intervals to save metal. The ground-trolley wheel will bear upward again st the groundwire, and thus form a guide for the line-trolley, keeping it on an even plane. This can be accomplished simply by any spring contrivaucc on the car. (Not shown.)

In Fig. 1 is shown a section of one of the chambers (broken away) for containing the insulators, which are placed at regular distances, say forty feet, the trolley-wire elsewhere being contained free from all contact' in a conduit of any suitable form. A cover a to the chamber is hinged at S. Then it is desired to lift the trolleys from. the conduit, it can be done at any chamber by raising the cover and then moving the trolleys to the left, so as to bring the ground-trolley free from the slot-piece it, the insulator having first been further depressed so as to release the wheels from the wires.

I make no claim for any contrivance mentioned, but not illustrated as incidental to the use of the apparatus shown, except in combination therewith, such parts being well known and commonly used; but I do claim all the combinations of apparatus or parts thereof shown herein with the organizations and devices specified in my former application, Serial No. 489,141.

I do not intend to limit myself in any of my claims to the same construction as that herein shown and described, but intend to include within such claims every device and contrivance whatsoever substantially equivalent in the art to the structures or the constituent elements thereof herein claimed.

I claim 1. In an insulator a compressible open spiral, non-conductive, a containing-cup, a cover and a standard on which said cup and cover are adjustable, combined substantially as described.

2. In an insulating-support an open compressible spiral comprising a core of spring metal covered with an elastic insulating material, combined with suitable fastenings and with a support upon which it is adjustable, substantially as described.

3. A protection-covering for an insulator comprising a cup in which the insulator is supported, a standard on which said cup is adj ustably mounted and a cover attached to the top of the insulator, said cup and cover being free from contact with the insulator, except where attached, and free from contact with each other, and said cover overlapping the edge of said cup, combined substantially as described.

4. An insulating -support comprising an open spiral, non-conductive,a containing-cup with an interior tube projection, a standard fitting in said tube and a protecting-cover overlapping said cup, combined substantially as described.

5. In an insulating-support an open spiral, non-conductive, a containing-cup with an interior tube projection, a standard fitting in said tube, a bar to support said cup and a protecting-cover overlapping the cup, combined substantially as described.

6. In an insulating-support, a containingcup with an interior tube projection, a standard fitting in said tube, a locking device to support said cup, a protecting-cover overlapping the cup, and an open spiral, non-conductive, with one end fastened to the interior of the cup and the other end to a ring fitting over a projection from the inside of the cover, combined substantially as described.

7. In an insulating-support a non-conductive open spiral, a standard supporting said spiral, a cup and its cover protecting said spiral and a locking device operative to hold these parts in proper relation to each other, combined substantially as described.

8. In an insulating-support an insulating open spiral, a standard and a containing-cup and its cover, said spiral being detachably connected to the cup-cover and also attached to the cup, and said cup being detachably supported by said standard and secured in position by a locking device, combined substantially as described.

9. A locking device for an insulating-support comprising a bar with an eye at one end surrounding a standard, and a hook or projection at the other end to support the insulator and its attachments on said standard, substantially as described.

10. An adjustable support for an insulator comprising a tube attached to or forming part of the insulator or its attachments, and a standard on which said tube fits, supported in position by a locking device, substantially as described.

11. A trolley comprising a wheel and its containing-frame and bearings, and a protection-hood with ends extending beyond the trolley-wire, slotted or grooved to form a guide for said trolley-wire, combined substantially as described.

12. In an electric railway, a slotted conduit, accessible insulating-supports situated at intervals in chambers, each support comprising an open spiral, n on-conduetive, a con- IIO taining-cup and its cover, a standard and a day of October, 1894, in the presence of two locking device to hold the parts in normal subscribing Witnesses. I position, combined with trolley-wire, car and track equipment and with suitable trolley VILLIAM JAOIXSON'. 5 apparatus, substantially as described. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set EMMA F. EAST, my hand, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 1st M. M. KIEFER. 

